Direct flights have been suspended since the two countries went to war over the Russian-backed separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia.

Last month in the first sign of a thaw in relations, Georgia and Russia announced they had agreed to re-open their land border to traffic.

Under Swiss mediation, they agreed to open the land crossing at Upper Lars -- the only one that does not pass through either South Ossetia or Georgia's other rebel region of Abkhazia.

Fighting erupted in August 2008, when Russian forces poured into Georgia to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake South Ossetia.

Russian forces later mostly withdrew to within South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both of which Moscow recognised as independent states, a move so far followed by only Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Pacific island state of Nauru.

Moscow cut air links with Georgia during the war, only four months after they had resumed following an 18-month embargo.